Haitian gang leader lifts lockdown amid fuel shortage

Port-au-Prince, Haiti –

A powerful gang leader announced on Sunday that he would lift a blockade on a vital fuel terminal that has choked the Haitian capital for almost two months.

The announcement by former police officer Jimmy Shelisier, nicknamed “Barbecue,” follows claims the government had at least some success in its efforts to retake the terminal and a UN resolution sanctioning Shelisier. It was something However, it was unclear who actually controlled the terminal and surrounding areas, and there was no evidence of a fuel spill.

In a speech posted on social media, Cherisier called on truck drivers to come and fill the tanks with water.

“Drivers can come to the terminal without fear,” he said.

If the fuel can leave, it will ease the crisis that began when Chelisier’s G9 gang coalition seized control of the Port-au-Prince fuel depot area on Sept. 12 and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. right.

Gang blockades have cut off access to nearly 10 million gallons of diesel and gasoline and more than 800,000 gallons of kerosene, forcing gas stations to close, hospitals to cut back on essential services, and banks and grocery stores to close. Stores were forced to operate on a limited schedule.

It also hampered efforts to combat a cholera outbreak that killed dozens and sickened thousands. The clinic warns that fuel is running out and access to drinking water is becoming difficult.

On Thursday, gunshots rang out from around the terminal as Haiti’s National Police fought to regain control. “We won the battle, but it’s not over yet,” Police Chief Franz Elbe said in a voicemail shared with the Associated Press on Friday.

The police’s official social media accounts posted a video on Sunday, but without sound. Officers are still “busy” at the terminal and said “important preparations are in place to secure the perimeter.”

Shelisier stressed that neither the gangsters nor their agents had negotiated with the prime minister, despite some politicians claiming they did.

“This is a fight for a better life,” he said of the gang’s actions.

Cherizier then asked whether Haitians were happy with their living conditions, felt safe, whether their children were able to attend school without being abducted, and whether they had access to food and medical care. I asked

With a population of over 11 million, much of this country lives in even greater poverty in an era of double-digit inflation. Meanwhile, kidnappings and gang violence have increased since his assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, displacing thousands of people from their homes.

A spokesman for Haiti’s National Police and Prime Minister’s Office could not be reached for comment after Cherisier’s announcement.

However, some people on social media praised Shelisier’s announcement, calling him “father” or “president.”

In early September, Henry announced that his administration could no longer afford to subsidize oil, leading to a sharp rise in prices and sparking mass protests.

On October 7, nearly a month after the blockade began, Henry called for the immediate deployment of foreign troops. The UN Security Council voted to impose sanctions on the gang leaders themselves, but has yet to vote on this request.

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This report was contributed by Danica Coto, an AP writer from San Juan, Puerto Rico.